A PHONE used by a Caterham “sex-pest” to take a picture up a supermarket shopper’s skirt was then found to contain indecent images of children, a court heard.

After Mark Lewin left the store, the mother, who was with three young children at the time, alerted security staff of his actions, he was pursued, caught and his iPhone seized.

Lewin is set to be released from prison in around nine months despite a judge’s concerns about his “fantasies of a serious nature” and high risk of re-offending.

He appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Friday (January 14) after admitting two counts of outraging the public decency and 12 of making indecent images at earlier hearings in September and November.

The offences relate to an incident which happened in Caterham Tesco at around 3pm on July 6 last year, prosecutor Iestyn Morgan said.

He told the court the woman became aware of the defendant looking at baby wipes on a bottom shelf when she heard the sound of a camera lens shutting.

“She then heard the sound of the camera again,” Mr Morgan said. “She saw the defendant’s hand near her thigh. At the time she was wearing a knee-length skirt.

“It became clear the defendant was attempting to take pictures up her skirt.”

The woman told security guards, who followed Lewin and detained him until police arrived and took his iPhone device.

Mr Morgan added: “On it were found videos that were ‘up-skirt,’ essentially taken up the skirt. None were related to the lady at Tesco.”

Twelve images found on the phone were said to be Level 1 pictures of children, the least serious category of indecent images, the court heard.

Lewin’s previous offending includes unrelated crimes such as possession of a blade and theft, but in 2008 he was convicted of two counts of voyeurism and six of possessing indecent photos of children.

This led to an 84-week jail sentence and Lewin being given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, and the judge agreed this should now be altered to include a direction that he cannot possess a mobile phone with internet access.

Defending, Rupert Hallowes said that ultimately little harm had been caused by his client’s actions.

“The conduct is the behaviour of a low-level sex pest, if I can put it that way,” Mr Hallowes said.

But the barrister accepted: “There are worrying features to the defendant’s conduct over the last year or so.

“A treatment programme is likely to be the only way for this defendant to reduce his risk of re-offending. He is willing and able to go on a programme. It does appear that he wants help.”

Judge Christopher Critchlow said: “This defendant will concern the courts as to whether or not he is likely to re-offend.

“Although I have my own concerns I do conclude that it would be wrong to make an extended sentence.

In sentencing Lewin, of Banstead Road, the judge told him: “You have been before a court only two years or so ago for these types of offence.

“The public has to be protected from anybody who goes about in this way or in private looks at images of this nature because of the abuse that takes place in the making of these images.”

Lewin was sentenced to 12 months in jail for outraging the public decency and another 18 monthsfor the possession of the indecent images, a total of 30 months. He will serve half of this and was given credit for 190 days already spent in custody.